Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 52.djvu/27

Rh In view of these facts the following answer, made some years ago by a man of New England birth and education, but of unenviable character and influence, to a question as to his father's honesty, has no little of point and application: "He is honest as the world goes. He won't tell a lie for twelve and a half cents" (the New England ninepence), "but he will tell eight for a dollar."



OME years ago Dr. Paul von Ritter gave to the University of Jena a considerable fund for the endowment of research in the direction of the doctrine of evolution, and more especially for promoting the scientific exploration of Australia. The complete geographical or physical isolation of this vast island since the Tertiary period has prevented it from keeping pace with other portions of the globe in the development of animal life, and it has therefore been very aptly termed "the land of living fossils and of missing links," on account of the peculiarly primitive character of its fauna. It is evident that the oöticoids or semi-oviparous mammals, whose young are born as embryos and then hatched in the mother's pouch, would be at an immense disadvantage with the viviparous mammals in the struggle for existence. For this reason the marsupials and monotremes have been gradually supplanted by the more highly organized placentals wherever they have encountered each other in vital competition. The study of fossils shows very clearly how this process went on from age to age until it resulted in 